The Archangels and the Forgotten
19th, 5:00 AM Lake Elsinore, Sierra Vista, Aparment #212 PM Omniance: A loud blaring alarm rings through the darkness. Kit opens his eyes and stares at the glowing orange clock on his nightstand for a moment before hitting the top of it with his hand and sending it back to snooze. Kit: His eyes open as the third tone of his alarm clock fills the room. He sits up and looks at the clock, it's 5:15 now. He turns and reaches down beside his bed, pulling the alarms plug from the outlet, he wraps the cord up around the clock and throws it onto a small backpack beside his bed. Afterwards he gets up from bed, stretching as he flips on the light switch, revealing him and his bedroom. He's in a pair of pink boxers with washed out colored palm trees anda pink tank top. It looks like his clothing were all washed together with reds on accident. He yawns and grabs some clothes from a small folded pile at the edge of his bed. A few minutes later Kit is sitting at a small kitchen table, fulling dressed in button up shirt and long brown pants. He's eating tasteless bran cereal and reading the back of the cereal's box intently, despite having read it a dozen times before. Kit: Toasted oats. He says it to himself as he eats another spoonful. A few minutes later he's out the door, carrying his backpack full of clothing and another bag with his other belongings. He throws them both into his small blue compact car, starts up the engine and drives. PM Omniance: A few minutes later Kit's standing in the entrance hall to a large manor, the very same one that he and other members of La Paloma used as a base of operations six months earlier, during the onset of the Dark Paradise. Sister Jude: She walks out from a side room. There's a great bustling of workers, nuns, and various others, despite it still being early in the morning. She has a stern look on her face as she sees Kit staring off at the wall. Didn't think you'd be here so early. She says it almost like she's simultaneously surprised and annoyed. Kit: He looks over at Sister Jude. I'm always early. He almost shrugs, but the gesture is wasted on Sister Jude so he stops just as he begins, making it almost look like he's flinched. When are we leaving. Sister Jude: Later. Kit: Later...? Sister Jude: I believe Alexe is out getting the others. Kit: Then I have some time to kill before we leave? Sister Jude: She shakes her head. Leave your things in the corner and I'll pack them up. Go do what you're going to do, be back by twelve, you hear? Kit: He nods. Midnight, got it. Sister Jude: She walks up and grabs his back from him, despite her appearance she's rather intimidating. You get here at midnight and I will personally drag you by the ear all the way to the eastern coast. She shoos him away. Kit: He smiles and adjusts his backpack, he turns and walks back out. You think we're going to get some kind of cellphone plan soon? Sister Jude: We don't need expensive gadgets. She takes a deep breath and turns around to face Kit as she backs through a door into another room. We just need you to be on time. She vanishes passed the door as it closes behind her. Kit: He murmurs to himself. I'm on my time, and that time is good enough for me. He turns and walks out of the manor. PM Omniance: About five hours later Kit is sitting high in a tree, looking out towards the parking lot in front of the arcade. He has pair of binoculars up to his eyes, looking at the parking lot from afar at a familiar group. Lucas: He flicks his cigarette and says something to Odie, though they're too far for Kit to hear. Odie seems to feign being offended and falls against the yellow jeep like Lucas had shot him in the chest. Lucas rolls his eyes and punches Odie in the shoulder. He looks at Ricky and Yuri who are just walking from the theater with some tickets for a movie, probably for later tonight. Kit: Six months and no trouble. He murmurs it to himself. Gotta be some kind of record for you guys. A voice interrupts Kit's conversation with himself. You know you're really bad at this kid. Kit: He doesn't pull down his binoculars, watching as Yuri distributes the tickets. Mr. Murdoc, haven't seen you in a while. Murdoc: One of these days they're gonna catch you watchin, and you're gonna be in a world of hurt kid. Kit: You know I've never been able to tell if you ever learned my real name, or if you just like calling me "kid", Mr. Murdoc. He continues to watch the group as the climb into the jeep. Murdoc: It's detective. Detective Murdoc, kid. Kit: And I'm no kid. Murdoc: Look like a kid to me. Kit: Older than I look. Murdoc: Alright then old man, you gonna answer some questions or am I gonna have to tell the twins they have a peeping tom? Kit: He sighs and lowers the binoculars. Murdoc: What's the name of the organization you're with. Kit: I'm not with an organization Mr. Murdoc. Murdoc: What's the significance of this talisman the redhead got off that demon up at Iodine Springs? Kit: Redhead? He looks at Murdoc. Murdoc: You're real good at playing dumb, you know that. Kit: You're the one asking stupid questions, Mr. Murdoc. He jumps down out the tree on the opposite side of Murdoc. Murdoc: Hey! He walks around the tree trunk, but Kit isn't there, he turns and looks, watching Kit already hopping a fence into a nearby yard. Quick little bastard. He pulls out a cigar and lights it. He turns back towards the road just as Lucas and the others drive by in their yellow Jeep, he smiles and waves, Lucas stopping the Jeep. Odie: He hops out of the Jeep. Right on time. Yeah? Murdoc: He rolls his eyes and points his cigar at his black firebird. Get in the car Odie, someone thinks they saw a Zombie crawl out of the lake last night. Kit: He watches from the rooftop of a nearby house as Odie gets into Murdoc's car, and the Yellow jeep drives off. He lowers his binoculars and turns, quickly running down the rooftop and jumping to another. PM Omniance: Kit: He's standing in the lobby of the manor, it's twelve noon, sharp. The place is empty now, the workers and nuns having all gone out to lunch. He looks around patiently, waiting for Jude, Alexe, or any of the other La Paloma members to show up. He keeps fiddling with the straps on his backpack as he waits, almost like a little kid waiting for a school bus. He exhales softly as he looks around the large room for the hundredth time, causing his cheeks to bulge out with air. PM Arbi: The sound of slow footsteps can be heard coming from outside, coming up the patio steps. The frontdoor slowly opens all the way but when Kit turns to look no one is there. PM Omniance: Kit: He raises an eyebrow, he's sure of who it is, but not one hundred percent sure. Late? PM Arbi: Alexe: He becomes visible but just as he does he almost falls forward, but he's able to stop himself by placing his hand on the frontdoor. Despite Kit having been able to hear his footsteps he didn't hear anything else from Alexe while he was invisible, like his loud breathing. Alexe's shirt is covered in blood and he's sweaty all over as if he's been running a marathon, he's clearly injured. PM Omniance: Kit: He looks Alexe over quickly as he drops his backpack and runs towards him. Are you alright? He grabs Alexe's arm, trying to help stand. What's happened?! PM | Edited 7:36:23 PM Arbi: Alexe: He raises his hand, motioning for Kit to back off despite his condition. He regains his composure and closes the door behind him while keeping one hand on his injury. Where is Sister Jude? PM Omniance: Kit: He shrugs. I've been here a half hour and I haven't seen anyone. As if on cue Sister Jude comes walking in from the back entrance, Maggie has a few bags filled with her belongings. Sister Jude has a few paper bags with lunch inside. Sister Jude: As she turns into Alexe's line of sight she sees him and Kit near the front door. Maggie looks worried suddenly and gasps as Sister Jude quickly set down the paper back and hurries forwards. Alexe? What's happened here? Are you hurt? PM Arbi: Alexe: He sighs slowly as he begins to recall what happened just an hour ago. We never made it to the portal, we were... attacked. He looks towards Kit before he says anything. This was no wandering monster, it was an ambush... Flashes of what happened go through his head as he tells them what happened. Alexe lead the small group through Tartarus like the many times before until they reached a long dirt and stone bridge. Before they were able to even reach the end they were stopped. Many humanoid dark figures showed up infront of the small group, appearing out of thin air as if they were summoned. Without so much of a warning they began attacking the group, pulling them away from Alexe and murdering them infront of him without remorse. These people had no chance or anyway to fight back, they were slaughtered until Alexe had no one left to protect. It wasn't until then when they all turned on him, having avoided him up until then as if they knew of his power. Alexe was outnumbered and had no choice but to flee but one of them was too fast and managed to claw Alexe's chest and stomach before he could even fight back. He was quickly surrounded, the assassins quickly closing in on him before a massive roar bellowed throughout Tartarus. It was loud enough to shake the area and cause the humanoid monsters to look around in fear. The distraction allowed him to become invisible and flee. Alexe: I failed my mission. He closes his eyes in pain. I failed my brothers and sisters... PM Omniance: Sister Jude: She narrows her eyes. You didn't get a good look at your assailants? Maggie: She moves up, her intent to heal him using her ability obvious. PM Arbi: Alexe: He tries to remember, normally memory is never a problem for him but no matter how hard he tries these assassins remain dark and hazy. One of those creatures got close enough to claw my chest but yet I cannot remember their face. As he tries to remember again it somehow gets worse and he hears a high pitched sound radiate in his mind, so loud that it hurts him, as if something was stopping him from seeing the truth. It isn't jsut Alexe but all of them hear the high pitched sound, even their imaginations of how these assassins could look become dark and unclear. PM Omniance: Kit: He almost winces and puts one of his hands to his temple. What is that noise? Maggie: As she's about to heal Alexe she suddenly recoils and covers her ears. Sister Jude: She seems least affected by it, looking around with distain as she hears the sound. Whatever they are, they have some quality that doesn't want us to recognize them. PM Arbi: About fifteen minutes later Alexe steps out of the bathroom, having had help from Maggie to treat his wounds with stitches and bandages instead of using her gift. The two of them meet back up with Sister Jude and Kit in the lobby. PM Omniance: Kit: He's speaking to Sister Jude as they walk in, his tone of voice is serious. Are we going to go in after them? We could hunt the attackers down and find out who sent them! Sister Jude: No. She's holding her rosary, sitting in a small chair against the wall. Kit: We're just gonna let them get away with it?! Sister Jude: She notices Alexe and Maggie walking back in. If this has proven anything it's that some group may not want us travelling east. We should make for the monastery immediately, travelling by conventional means. Maggie stays quiet, not having enough experience to voice an opinion of any kind. PM Arbi: Alexe: That may be exactly what they want us to do. He looks towards Sister Jude, his tone of voice just as serious as Kit's. PM Omniance: Sister Jude: But we've no idea what it is they want us to do. We should assume what we know, that they attacked our number in that hellscape, and that they may intend to attack us there again. Maggie: She speaks quietly. But the three of you could take them couldn't you? ...I mean... From what I've heard... Kit: Maggie's right, together they wouldn't be a problem for us. Even on his own, they refused to attack Alexe. They wouldn't dare attack us all. Sister Jude: But we don't know that. She's almost glaring at Maggie. PM Arbi: Alexe: The assassin that attacked me, she was a far greater fighter. She had the speed, the oppurtunity to kill me. He places his hand lightly on his bandages. These cuts were deep but nothing compared to what happened to the others. He looks around at all of them. They're cunning but I won't be manipulated into falling for their trap again. PM Omniance: Sister Jude: She? Kit: He looks at Sister Jude. Sister Jude: A quality we can focus on remembering. She stands up and puts her rosary up her sleeve. What are we to do? We must obvious contact the monastery and tell them what's happened, but we're expected there later this evening, and the summons was quite clearly urgent. PM | Edited 9:03:59 PM Arbi: Alexe: I'll take us back and we'll find a different path. No matter which one we choose it will still be faster than any vehicle we could use here. PM Omniance: Sister Jude: She looks back and forth between Kit, deciding not to press her position anymore as to refrain from argument. Grab what you're taking, leave anything you don't need. We travel light and we travel fast. She turns and walks out of the lobby. I'm going to call ahead and tell them what you've told us before we leave. PM Arbi: Alexe: He watches her leave the lobby, just leaving the three of them there. He takes a seat near Kit, sitting back to get a little rest. PM Omniance: Kit: He's quiet for a moment, the dead silence of the large manor allows them to hear Sister Jude in another room, talking on the phone, though all they can understand is muffled murmuring for the most part. After a moment he steps forwards. Think this has something to do with why everyone here has to go east? PM Arbi: Alexe: It's hard to say right now. He looks towards the windows, it's a partly cloudy day outside and two cars can be seen parked outside. They belong to Kit and Sister Jude. After a quiet moment he quietly speaks. There's something I can't stop thinking about. PM Omniance: Kit: Yeah? What is it? He pushes off the wall and turns to look at Alexe. Maggie seems to turn to look at the two of them, their conversation breaking her out of a solemn thought. PM Arbi: Alexe: Someone was watching us travel through Tartarus but the schedule never stayed the same. You can't set up an ambush like that without knowing when someone will be there. His voice gets quieter as he continues to speak. How did they know we would be there today? PM | Edited 9:27:29 PM Omniance: Kit: ...There's a mole in La Paloma. He looks down and then at Alexe. Sister Jude: That's a ludicrous accusation! She's standing ahead of them, clearly fuming at the very thought. PM | Edited 9:56:02 PM Arbi: Alexe: The dark intentions of these assassins allowed me to escape with my own life but for what purpose? Why strike now? He stands up. I'll tell you why... it's because we were next. PM Omniance: Sister Jude: You mean to say that they wanted to strike before we left as a group? They needed to take their chance before it was too late? PM | Edited 9:49:45 PM Arbi: Alexe: No. They wanted to strike fear into us by sending a message. But that's the problem, they don't know any of you exist. He looks back at Kit. Demons can't cross into our world but we know humans can cross into Tartarus. Someone out here is feeding them information... PM Omniance: Kit: He narrows his eyes. So we should travel through Tartarus then, and there's a possibility that we'd get the jump on them! Sister Jude: She narrows her eyes. This is a gamble I don't like. PM Arbi: Alexe: He looks towards Maggie for a second before looking back at the two high ranking members. Vengeance isn't worth the risk. We'll use Tartarus but we need to avoid these assassins. PM Omniance: Maggie: She seems to sigh in quiet relief. Kit: He also lets out a sigh, but it's a shorter quiet gasp of disappointment. Sister Jude: We will have plenty of time to go over the situation when we reach the Monastery. We need a better idea of what these things are, perhaps other members have been attacked as well. We need more information before we go on a crusade. PM | Edited 10:11:36 PM Arbi: Alexe: Thus far I've only encountered monsters on the other side, these creatures have always relied on instinct to kill and even the smartest ones could only utter a few words. These assassins were nothing like them. I fear this new evil has remained hidden until now. You may contact the Monastery again, Sister Jude. Perhaps I am wrong and they can help us... PM Omniance: Sister Jude: She hesitates for a moment. I was quick with the call because I didn't want them to suspect that we might suspect them. If there is a mole I didn't want to give us away, which is why I left our means of transportation vague... However... She looks at Alexe. We do need to know more about what's happening. I consider it worth the risk calling them and relaying more detailed information. Kit: And after you chided me for saying there was a mole... He shakes his head. Sister Jude: I highly doubt there's such a thing, but with multiples of our number murdered... I didn't want to take any risks before we arrived there. She turns and heads back out of the room to the phone. As she gets into the next room she pulls the black phone off the wall and puts it to her ear as she dials each number by putting her finger in a hole in the ring and spinning it clockwise several times, this time putting in an extension to another individual she trusts, after two rings there's an answer. Sloan: Her voice comes over the phone, professional and matter-of-factly. Briarcliff Archives. Sister Jude: Sloan? She waits for the response, already knowing it's her, but asking the question helps her be more sure. Sloan: Speaking. Sister Jude: This is Sister Jude, of the west coast branch. Sloan: Good afternoon Sister, what is it that I can help you with? Sister Jude: I'm calling for information on recent possible attacks on other members. Sloan: Let me... Check... Well it seems that you yourself called in an attack exactly twenty-one minutes ago Sister Jude. Sister Jude: I know of that one, I'm calling to know if there are any others... She sounds irritating, but Sloan doesn't care. PM Omniance: Sloan: Hmm... Well in recent events? Nothing. We're actually in a lull right now, the only recent events of note since the attack on June 28th in Wildomar, was a raccoon that clawed out someone's eye on the way home from the grocery store one morning. Sister Jude: ...I see... She looks to the side. You wouldn't happen to have any idea what this mass summoning is about, would you? Sloan: If I were to guess, I'd have to say it has something to do with all the activity the west coast branch was... Caught... Doing. PM Omniance: Sister Jude: She sighs. Always a pleasure Sloan. Sloan: Goodbye Sister Jude. They both hang up at the same time. Sister Jude: She walks back out into the lobby. Nothing, there's been no notable attacks aside from... Some rabid animal incident or something. Nothing since the demons atop that mountain. PM Arbi: Alexe: He looks down, having had some hope that he was wrong. PM Omniance: Sister Jude: We should be moving. I don't want to be here longer than we need to be, and the sooner we leave the sooner we'll arrive. Gather what you can't leave without and let's go. She turns and walks over to her small suitcase, pulling some things out and setting them aside to make it lighter. PM Omniance: Kit: He just picks up his backpack, ready to go. PM Arbi: Alexe: He nods, not needing to take any luggage with him as most of his property is already on the east coast. He's wearing a sweater hoodie, which has been keeping him warm from the snowy weather in New York. Underneath his hoodie is his necklace, holding a large cross. The same one he used during Dark Paradise to ward off some of the evil they encountered. He walks forward with everyone to the back door of the manor. PM Omniance: Maggie: She looks nervous, grabbing her rollable luggage, she detaches a smaller bag that was sitting on top of it and slings it around her shoulder. She's wearing a simple sweater and a long dress. Kit: Have faith Maggie. He smiles warmly at her, and it seems to calm her as they follow Alexe. Sister Jude: She zips up her luggage and turns to follow them out. Remember that we're not going in there to pick a fight, Kit. We're just passin through. Quick and smart, you hear? Kit: Yes sister. He nods.